After a 30-minute delay to kick-off due to the visitors' coach being held up in bad weather, the Potters were shocked by their Blue Square Premier opponents when Neil Barrett gave York a deserved lead 20 minutes in. For a moment, a monumental upset appeared to be on the cards but, within three minutes, Stoke had the advantage thanks chiefly to the long throw of Rory Delap. Danny Parslow deflected one of Delap's deliveries past his own keeper to draw the match level and seconds later Ricardo Fuller put Stoke in front after Leon Cort teed him up from another Delap assist. Matthew Etherington completed the scoring with a neatly-executed free-kick in the second half to ensure Stoke did not fall victim to a famous giant-killing. The match was thrown into doubt prior to kick-off, with the visiting side's coach having been delayed by the weather on its way to the stadium. For a short time it looked as if the game would not be played at all but York's coach finally made it to the ground just before 3pm and the match got under way half an hour later. Having made widespread changes for Carling Cup fixtures this season, Stoke manager Tony Pulis sprung a surprise by making only a few adjustments to his starting line-up. Fuller replaced Tuncay in the Potters attack, while Cort and Danny Collins came into the defence, with Ryan Shawcross suspended and Abdoulaye Faye not featuring in the squad. Martin Foyle named an unchanged York XI from the side that beat Mansfield in their last league fixture. Delap's trademark long throw caused problems for York as early as the third minute but goalkeeper Michael Ingham was able to punch the ball away to deny Fuller after it had been flicked on. But York, roared on by their vociferous supporters, were looking to make an early impression and Michael Rankine tried to a drill a low effort across Thomas Sorensen in the seventh minute, only to see it go comfortably wide. The non-league outfit were showing plenty of spirit and, after harrying their opponents for much of the opening 20 minutes, they took a deserved lead. York won a free-kick on the left and Barrett directed a header past Sorensen to send shockwaves around the Britannia. Stoke were rattled but moments later they had turned the game on its head. First Delap delivered a long throw that Parslow could only deflect past his own keeper. Then Fuller headed home after Cort had connected with another specialist Delap delivery to put Pulis' side in the ascendancy. Delap's throwing prowess could hardly be described as a secret weapon these days but York seemed unable to deal with it whenever the midfielder sent a ball into the box. Panic ensued again in the 42nd minute after another Delap throw, with Levi Mackin almost sending the ball past Ingham for a second own goal, but the Minstermen survived. The hosts almost extended their advantage immediately after the break but, having risen highest to meet Etherington's corner, Cort was unable to guide his header on target. At the other end, Richard Brodie managed to create some space to turn and shoot in the box but the effort did little to trouble Steve Simonsen, who had come on at half-time to replace Sorenson. As time wore on, Stoke were looking increasingly comfortable, with Robert Huth narrowly heading over from Etherington's corner and Fuller just failing to get on the end of Liam Lawrence's delivery. A third goal seemed to be in the pipeline and it duly arrived after 56 minutes thanks to Etherington's dead-ball accuracy. From just outside the area, the winger stepped up and sent a delightful free-kick into the top left-hand corner, barely giving Ingham the chance to move. Etherington then attempted a carbon copy just after the hour mark but could only send the ball into Ingham's grateful arms. Perhaps sensing the opportunity for his strikers to boost their poor goal return this season, Pulis sent on Tuncay for Beattie for the final quarter of the game, while Mama Sidibe came on for Fuller with 10 minutes remaining. The new strike partnership looked lively and Tuncay went close after cutting into the box in the 81st minute but could only lift his effort over the bar. Sidibe then flashed a header over and saw a shot tipped round the post by Ingham, with Tuncay unlucky not to connect with a header from the resulting corner.
